It was certainly not the intention, but the coronavirus pandemic has given Bollywood film Sherni a more profound significance, says its lead Vidya Balan.
'Sherni' (meaning "tigress" in Hindi),, the drama set deep in the jungle features Balan, 42, as a forest officer trying to maintain the precarious balance between man and nature.
"We didn't plan it like that but it turned out to be such a timely film," she tells The National. "If we want natural calamities not to hit us, if we want to make sure there are no more pandemics, we have to make sure there are healthy boundaries between nature and us.
"We can't go into the animal kingdom and make it our own, because that imbalances things," she says.
Sherni, out on Friday on Amazon Prime Video, is directed by Amit Masurkar, who helmed Newton, India's entry for the Oscars in 2017.
Balan hopes the film will trigger more conversations about the importance of conservation.
“This film taught me that nature is as much part of me and my life as I am a part of nature. And we have to respect that relationship and make sure we respect nature, the forests and the wild, because it’s crucial to our survival,” she says. "If this becomes a conversation, it will be very gratifying.”
Balan, who was last seen in 2020's Shakuntala Devi, a biopic about the Indian maths whiz, is known for playing strong women in her films, starting with her Bollywood debut in 2005's Parineeta.
She's since starred in many hit women-centric titles, such as The Dirty Picture, in which she played an adult film actress, and Kahaani, which cast her as a pregnant woman searching for her missing husband. In 2019, she played a scientist who was part of India's first interplanetary mission in Mission Mangal.
She says she took on Sherni because it was a world she was unfamiliar with.
“I thought it was a unique opportunity for me because it’s a story not just based in the jungle, but is about the jungle,” she says. “And I think this is the first Hindi film of this nature.”
Besides its environmental message, the film's story, told from a female officer's perspective, is an important one, she says.
"I believe every woman is a sherni. She is navigating her way through this thick jungle called life," Balan says. "We are constantly facing challenges. I know that at every step of the way, women today are [overcoming difficulties].
"You don't need to roar to be a tigress," she says. "There are various reflections of sherni that each of us represents. My character is a woman of few words, reserved but strong-willed. So you can be that. In each of the households in India, there's a sherni and a lot of times she's invisible. This is my salute to all of them out there."
Balan also stars in the theme tune's music video Main Sherni (I am a Tigress), performed by singer Akasa and rapper Raftaar, along with four other women whom she refers to as "real life shernis".
Indian F4 racer Mira Erda, body positivity influencer Natasha Noel, hula-hoop dancer Eshna Kutty and transgender doctor Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju all feature in the video, which received more than five million views within 24 hours of its debut.
"I absolutely love the song. It's so powerful and full of energy. I've been hearing it for the past few weeks and it gets me going … like I can take on the world," Balan says.
She also speaks about being seen on a streaming platform as opposed to the big screen. Balan's last film, Shakuntala Devi, was also released on Amazon Prime Video last year as cinemas remained shut due to the pandemic.
"Shakuntala Devi was released in 200 countries on the same day. So all my relatives and friends who don't live in India also got to watch the film on the very same day. Also, the reach within the country is massive. And now with Sherni, we are reaching 240 countries. I think it's really fantastic, especially given the circumstances," she says.
Balan also says the pandemic has taught her to be more appreciative.
"It's made me realise that nothing is permanent. The pandemic has made us realise we need to take it one day at a time and it's made me grateful for all the things I have in my life," she says.
"We thought we were in control of everything and now we've realised we're not. I don't think I want to waste a single moment being untrue to myself. Even in terms of my career, that's how it impacts my choices."
She’s still unsure, however, if she wants to dive into TV shows.
“I’ve been offered quite a few [roles]. I’ve always been very wary because it requires a huge time commitment. But I hope some day I’ll take a plunge. When something excites me and I feel this desperate need to tell a particular story that’s been offered to me, I’ll do it.”
Balan will next reunite with Suresh Triveni, who directed her in the hit 2017 comedy Tumhari Sulu, in a yet t be titled film.
For now, she’s happy with how her career’s shaped up after almost two decades in the industry, but she remains eager for new challenges.
“There are genres I feel I haven’t really explored. I would love to do something dark, maybe play a serial killer or some such. And I wish someone would write a Chaplin-esque role for me,” she says.
“I am satisfied with my career, absolutely. But I will get hungry again. I am a tigress on the prowl.”
Sherni is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video from Friday, June 18
Pakistan T20 series squad
Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Ahmed Shahzad, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammed Hafeez, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Mohammed Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Amir Yamin, Mohammed Amir (subject to fitness clearance), Rumman Raees, Usman Shinwari, Umar Amin
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
Stage Two:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 04:20:45
2. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix
3. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates
4. Olav Kooij (NED) Jumbo-Visma
5. Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
General Classification:
1. Jasper Philipsen (BEL) Alpecin-Fenix 09:03:03
2. Dmitry Strakhov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:04
3. Mark Cavendish (GBR) QuickStep-AlphaVinyl 00:00:06
4. Sam Bennett (IRL) Bora-Hansgrohe 00:00:10
5. Pascal Ackermann (GER) UAE Team Emirates 00:00:12
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
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